Boat launching and stowing apparatus.



' F. E. MARTIN.

BOAT L AUNGHING AND STOWING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR-14. 1906.

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PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

No. 850,239. PATENTED APE-L716, 190v.

F. E. MARTIN.

BOAT LAUNGHING AND STOWING' APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APB.14.190B.

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No 850.239. Q PATBNTED APR. 16, 1907.

F. E. MARTIN.

BOATLAUNGHING AND STOWING APPARATUS;

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PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

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APPLICATION FILED 11133.14. 1906.

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No. 850,239. I PATENTED APR.16, 1907.

F. E. MARTIN.

BOAT LAUNCHING AND STOWINGi-APPARATUS.

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tus, with one of the track-guards partly cranes in an upright positionwith relation to UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED ELLSWORTI-I MARTIN, OF OAKVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OFONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM JOHN CHARLES H. RICHES, BOTH OF TORONTO, CANADA.

BOAT LAUNCHING AND STQWING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 14, 1906. Serial No. 311,760.

No, 850,239, n'atenteol April 16, 1907.

davit-crane a is a carriage f, consisting of two channel-plates havingtheir webs g placed back to back in a vertical plane with relation tothe height of the davit-cranes and their flanges g g projectinghorizontally therefrom and antifriction-rollers h and h secured to theflanges g and arranged to travel on fixed trackways j, secured to thedeck 6 and extending to the ships side. Antifrictionrollers i aresecured above the flanges g and below the flanges g and so positionedthat there will be an unoccupied interval between them and the flangesg, for the purpose hereinafter stated Rigidly secured to the deck 6 ateach side of each trackway j is a guide-plate 7c, having at its'upperend an inturnedflange Z. Between the flanges Z of each pair ofguideplates 75 is an unoccupied space located vertically above thecentral line of the trackway j and extending from end to end thereof forthe passage of the webs g of the carriages f.

Secured to the guide-plates 7c at the outboard end of the trackway j, asshown in Fig. 2, are arresting-stops 0 to limit the outward movement ofthe davit cranes and carriages. When the carriages are positionedbetween the guide-plates 7c, the antifriction-rollers h and h contactthe top surfaces of the trackways j and the antifriction-rollers icontact the under surfaces of the flanges Z to maintain the davit-cranesa in an upright position while at rest and in motion. Theantifriction-rollers h, h, and i are so positioned that when thecarriages f are contained between the guide-plates the flanges g will bemaintained-at a suflicient height above the flanges Z to avoidfrictional contact therewith. Secured to the davit-cranes a are bracketsg and 9, having outwardly-projecting arms or lugs r and 1", in which isjournaled the winding-shaft. The winding-shaft consists of twoshaft-sections tand t, coupled together intermediate the davit-cranes aby a universal coupling 1/. to compensate for any reasonable contractionand permit of the revolution of the winding-shaft in the event of thecompression or displacement of the davitcranes as a result of accident.Mounted on the winding-shaft opposite the davit-cranes a and revolublewith the winding-shaft are winding-drums 11, upon which are wound thedavit-falls w, and journaled at the upper ends To all whant it mayconcern: I

Be it known that I, FRED .ELLswoR'rn MARTIN, of the town of Oakville, inthe county of I-Ialton and Province of Ontario, Canada, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Boat Launching and Stowing.Apparatus; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the same.

This invention relates to a means whereby a boat can be quickly andeasily lowered from a ships deck into the water and raised from thewater and stowed in a fixed place on the ships deck and it consists,essentially, of the construction and arrangement of the parts hereafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to thefollowing description and to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure1 is a side elevation of the apparabroken away, showing the location andarrangement of the parts. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same looking atit from the top, the boat shown in. Fig. 1 being absent from this view.Fig. 3 is a rear elevation showing the same parts as in Fig. 2. Fig. disa detail view of one of the davit-cranes. Fig. 4 is a detail view of theconstruction shown in Fig. A looking at it from the opposite side tothat shown. in Fig. 4-. Fig. 5 isa detail view of the winding mechanism.Fig. 6 is a detail view of the boat-supporting saddles, and Fig. 7 is adetail view of the detent mechanism to hold the apparatus in its inboardposition.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout thespecification and drawings.

The davit-cranes a are provided at their lower ends withhorizontally-disposed brackets b, to which are rigidly bolted orotherwise fastened the horizontal coupling-braces c to cause the unitedmovement of the davit cranes a as they travel between their inboard andoutboard positions, and connected to the horizontal braces c anddavit-cranes a. are in clined braces d to increase the rigidity of thestructure and assist in maintaining the davitthe horizontal plane of thedeck e. I Rigidly-secured to the lower end of each l KIVELL ANDTWO-THIRDS TO of the davit-cranes a are guide-pulleys 0c, alined withthe winding-drums '0. At the free ends of the davit-falls w aredavit-fall hooks'y, which engage with the ring-bolts z in the boat a.

The bracket g is provided with a journal 1) below the lugs r,and'mounted in the journal I) is a pinion-shaft c, which projects beyondthe outer side of the davit-crane a, to which the journal is secured.Mounted on the pinion-shaft c on the outer side of the davitcrane is apinion d, which meshes with the spur-wheel e, mounted on thewinding-shaft section t on the outer side of the same crane. In the endof the winding-shaft section 15 is a key-seatf, and in the hub of thespur-wheel is a corresponding key-seat i to receive the key 7', whichnormally locks the spur-wheel e to the winding-shaft section if, so thatthey will revolve unitedly when winding the davitfalls on thewindingdrums. The pinionshaft 0 on the outer side of the pinion d isfitted to receive the winding-crank Z, by

wnich the pinion-shaft is revolved to cause the winding revolution ofthe spur-wheel,

winding shaft, and winding drums. The

pinion-shaft 0 projects beyond the inner side of the bracket g, andloosely mounted upon its inner end is a lever m, having a detentdog 0 toengage the toothed segment 19, secured to the bracket g. (See Fig. 5.)The detent-dog 0 is actuated by an ordinary spring-tensioned link 8,connected with the lever m. Carried by the lever m and movable therewithis a stud u, and connected to the bracket q is a stud o, alined with thestud a. Fixed on the winding-shaft section tis a brake-wheel w, alinedwith the studs u and 1;. Connected to the studs a and Q) and engagingthe peripheral surface of the brakewheel to is a brake-band 00 to arrestthe unwinding revolution of the winding-shaft. Fastened to thehorizontal braces c,between the davit-cranes a, is adownwardly-extending arm y, having a bolt-aperture therethrough, andsecured to the deck e at the inboard position of the arm y is a lug z,having a bolt-aperture corresponding to the boltaperture of the arm y.

Fastened to the deck 6 is a bolt-guide a, and movable through thebolt-guide a is a locking-bolt I), adapted to extend through theapertures inthe lug 2 and the arm y to hold the davit-cranes at theirinboard position. Fastened to the deck e is a bracket 0, and fulcrumedto the bracket 0 is an operating-lever d, pivotally connected with thelocking-bolt b. The operation of the locking-bolt b in the directionindicated by arrow in Fig. 7 actuates the locking-bolt b to release thearm 4/, so that the cranes may be moved from their inboard to theiroutward position. The reverse operation of the lever 01 actuates thelocking-bolt b to enter the bolt-aperture in the arm y and lock theparts Fastened to one of the horiracks e, and a handle by which thecranks are actuated. The boat a is suspended from the davit-falls w, andwhen the parts are in their inboard position it normally rests upon thesaddles 7c. The saddles 7c are located vertically below the boat andengage it between the fullness of the body portion and the ends so thatthey can freely fall outward into a horizontal position, as hereinafterstated. The saddles k are articulatingly connected to hinge members Z,fastened to the deck a, and are raised into a vertical position by linksm, connected to the arms of the bell-crank lever 0 on opposite sides ofthe lever-fulcrum p. The bellcrank lever 0 is provided with a handle g,by which it is actuated. When the saddles are in their upright position,the handle is locked in a stationary position by a key 1', which passesthrough a U-shaped lug s, fastened to the deck, and which is adapted toreceive between its opposite arms the handle 9. The bell-crank lever 0when actuated moves the saddles is into the vertical position shown inFig. 1 to engage the bottom of the boat and support it above the deckwhen in its inboard position, and the handle g of the bell-crank levercan then be locked be tween the arms of the lug s by the key 1", so thatthe saddles will be maintained in their operative position underordinary conditions until the handle has been released. The davitfallshold. the boat suspended so as to engage the top of the saddles with itsfull weight resting thereon. To normally prevent the displacement of theboat from the saddles, lashing-arms t, curved to correspond with thecurvature of the body of the boat, are pivotally connected at theirlower ends to the brackets 14, fastened to the deck e at approximatelythe boats midships and as nearly under the middle line runninglengthwise of the boat as possible. The upper ends of the lashing-arms tare inturned to engage the boats gunwales, and when the saddles arelowered the lashing-arms fall awayby gravity. To lower the boat, the key1" is'withdrawn fromthe lugs s and the handle g of the bell-crank lever0 is moved outwardly from the lug s to actuate the links m and causethem to lower the saddles k into contact with the deck. ends of thesaddles k as they descend, move outwardly on a curvilinear plane fromthe hinge members Z, so that they will move The upper.

past the decreasing dimensions of the boat,

which may be termed the line of least resistance, as compared with aninward movement, in which case they would be compelled to move pastconstantly-increasing dimensions. The lowering movement of the saddlesis accelerated by the weight of the boat resting thereon, as the weightof the boat when the saddles have moved from their vertical positioninstantly forces the saddles in the direction of the deck. When thesaddles are lowered, the locking-bolt b is released from engagement withthe arm y, and the davit-craneS are moved to their outboard position tohold the boat suspended beyond the side of the ship. The lever m is thenactuated to release the brake-band 00 from engagement with thebrake-wheel to, so that the weight of the boat can cause the davit-fallsto unwind from the windingdrums, the crank 1 before the unwinding of thedavit-falls being preferably detached from the pinion-shaft c.

In the event of an accident happening to the pinion-shaft andpinion-wheel the key j can be withdrawn from the key-seats in thespur-wheel and winding-shaft section to permit the unwinding movement ofthe wind ing-shaft inde )endently of the spur-wheel and pinion' r s thedavit-cranes move to the outboard. position the gravity-dogsf engagewith the teeth of the ratchet-tooth racks and prevent the return of thedavit-cranes to their inboard position until the gravity-dogs have beendisplaced from engagement therewith by the actuation of .thecrank-shaft, this being necessary during the rolling of the ship andwhen the deck is so inclined that the trackways slope inwardly from theships side.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising fixed trackwaysleading to the ships side, davit-cranes movable on said trackways, areleasable bolt for securely holding the davit-cranes in their inboardposition, means for arresting the davit-cranes at the limit of theiroutboard position and other releasable means to resist the return of thedavit-cranes to their inboard position.

2. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising fixed trackwaysleading to the ships side, davit-cranes movable on the trackways,releasable means for securely holding the davit-cranes at their inboardposition, means for arresting the davit-cranes at their outboardposition, means for resisting the return of the davit-cranes to theirinboard position, and means for releasing the resisting means comprisinga rock-shaft engaging therewith.

3. A boat launching and stowing apparadavit-cranes, davit falls passingover the guide-pulleys and wound onthe windingdrums, and means forcausing the revolution of the winding-shaft.

4. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising fixed trackwaysleading to the ships side, two davit-cranes rigidly coupled together, acarriage for each davit-crane movable on its respective trackway, awinding-shaft j ournaled in bearings connected with the davit-Cranes,comprising two shaftsections coupled together, winding-drums mounted onthe winding-shaft, guide-pulleys connected with the davit-cranes,davit-falls passing over the guide-pulleys and wound on thewinding-drums, means for causing the revolution of the winding-shaftconsisting of a pinion-shaft journaled in a bearing connected with oneof the davit-cranes, a pinion mounted on the pinion-shaft, means forcausing the revolution of the pinion-shaft and pinion, and a spur-wheelmounted on the winding-shaft meshing with the pinion.

5. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising fixed trackwaysleading to the ships side, two davit-cranes rigidly coupled together, acarriage for each davit-crane movable on its respective trackway, a winding-shaft j ournaled in bearings connected with the davit-cranes,comprising two shaftsections coupled together, winding-drums mounted onthe winding-shaft, guide-pulleys connected with the davit-cranes,davit-falls passing over the guide-pulleys and wound on thewindingdrums, means for causing the revolution of the winding-shaftconsisting of a pinion-shaft journaled in a bearing con nected with oneof the davit-cranes, a pinion mounted on the pinion-shaft, means forcausing the revolution of the pinion-shaft and pinion, a spur-wheelloosely mounted on. the winding-shaft meshing with the pinion, and aremovable locking means for causing the united revolution of thespur-wheel and wind ing-shaft.

6.. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising fixed trackwaysleading to the ships side, two davit-cranes rigidly cou pled together, acarriage for each davit-crane movable on its respective trackway, awinding-shaft comprising two shaft-sections coupled together journaledin bearings connected with the davitcrane s, windingdrums mounted on thewinding-shaft, guidepulleys connected with the davitcranes,

davit-falls passing over the guide-pulleys and wound on thewinding-drums, means for causing the revolution of the winding-shaftconsisting of a pinion-shaft journaled in a bearing connected with oneof the davitcranes, a pinion mounted on the pinionshait, means forcausing the revolution of the pinion-shaft and pinion, and a spur-wheelmounted on the winding-shaft meshing with the pinion, a brake-wheelfixed on the winding-shaft, a movable brake-lever, and a band passingpartly around the brake-wheel and connected at one end with one of thedavitcranes and at the other end with the movable brake-lever.

7. A boat launching and stowing apparai tus comprising fixed trackwaysleading to the ships side, two davit-cranes rigidly coupled together, acarriage for each davit-crane movable on its respective trackway, awinding-shaft journaled in bearings connected with the davit-cranescomprising two shaftsections coupled together, winding-drums mounted onthe winding-shaft, guide-pulleys connected with. the davit-cranes,daviti alls passing over the guide-pulleys and wound on thewinding-drums, means for causing the revolution of the winding-shaftconsisting of a pinion-shaft journaled in a bearing connected with oneof the davitcranes, a pinion mounted on the pinion-shaft, means forcausing the revolution of the pinion-shaft and pinion, a spur-wheelmounted on the winding-shaft meshing with the pinion, a brake-wheelfixed on the winding-shaft, a movable brake-lever, a brake-band passingpartly around the brake-wheel and connected at one end with one of thedavitcranes and at the other end with. movable brakelever, a detent-dogfor the brake-lever, a link connected with the detent-dog and having ahand-grip whereby it can be actuated, and a toothed segment connectedwith the davit-crane to be engaged by the detentdog.

8. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising fixed trackwaysleading to the ships side, guards at the sides of the fixed trackwaysand extending above the same with inturned flanges at their upper endsand an unoccupied interval between the flanges, two davit-cranes rigidlycoupled together and movable above the guards, a carriage for eachdavit-crane movable between the guards, antifriction-rollers for thecarriages movable upon the trackways, other antifriction-rollersconnected with the carriages movable between the guards to engage th topflanges thereof, and a boat raising and lowering means carried by thedavit-cranes.

9. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising fixed trackwaysleading to the ships side, guards at the sides ofthe fixed trackways andextending above the same, with inturned flanges at their upper ends andan unoccupied interval between the flanges, two davit-cranes rigidlycoupled together and movable above the guards, a carriage for eachdavit-crane movable between the guards, antiiriction-rollers for the carriages movable upon the trackways, other antifriction-rollers connectedwith the carriages movable between the guards to engage the top flangesthereof, a boat raising and lowering means carried by the davit-cranes,releasable means for securely holding the davit-cranes at their inboardposition, and means to arrest the movement of the davitcranes at theiroutboard position.

10. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising fixed trackwaysleading to the ships side, guards at the sides of the, fixed trackwaysand extending above the same with inturned flanges at their upper endsand an unoccupied interval between the flanges, two davit-cranes rigidlycoupled together and movable above the guards a carriage for eachdavit-crane movable between the guards, antifrictionrollers for thecarriages movable upon the trackways, other antiiriction-rollersconnected with the carriages movable between the guards to engage thetop flanges thereof, a boat raising and lowering means carried by thedavit-cranes, releasable means for securely holding the davitcranes attheir inboard position, means to arrest the movement of the davit-cranesat their outboard position, and a releasable resisting means to preventthe inboard movement of the davit-cranes when the latter are at theiroutboard position.

11. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising fixed trackwaysleading to the ships side, guards at the sides of the fixed trackwaysand extending above the same with inturned flanges at their upper ends,and an unoccupied interval between the flanges, two. daVit-cranesrigidly coupled together and movable above the guards, a carriage foreach d avit-crane movable between the guards, antifriction-rollers forthe carriages movable upon the trackways to sup port the davitcranestherefrom, other antifrictionrollers connected with the carriagesmovable between the guards to engage the top flanges thereof, a boatraising and lowering means carried by the davit-cranes, releasable meansfor securely holding the davitcranes at their inboard position, means toarrest the movement of the davit-cranes at their outboard position,releasable resisting means to prevent the inboard movement of thedavit-cranes when the latter are at their outboard position, and meansfor releasing the resisting means.

12. A boat launching and stowing app aratus comprising two davit-cranesrigidly coupled together, a carriage for each davit-crane,

IIS

a winding-shaft consisting of two shaft-sections journaled in bearingsconnected with the davit-cranes, a universal coupling uniting the innerends of the winding-shaft, windingdrums mounted on the winding-shaft,guide pulleys connected with the davitcranes, davit-falls passing overthe guide-pulleys and wound on the Winding-drums, and means for causingthe revolution of the winding-shaft and winding-drums.

13. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising two davit-cranesrigidly coupled together, a carriage for each davit-crane, awinding-shaft consisting of two shaft-sections journaled in bearingsconnected with the davit-cranes, a universal coupling uniting the innerends of the winding-shaft, a winding-drum mounted on the winding' shaft,davitfalls passing over the guide-pulleys and wound on thewinding-drun'is, means for causing the revolution of the winding-shaftand winding-drums, consisting of a pinion-shaft journaled in a bearingconnected with one of the davit-cranes, a pinion mounted on thepinion-shaft, a spur-wheel mounted on the winding-shaft and meshing withthe teeth of the pinion, and means for causing the revolution of thepinion-shaft.

14. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising two davit-cranesrigidly coupled together, a carriage for each davitcrane, awinding-shaftconsisting of two shaft-sections journaled in bearings connected withthe davit-cranes, a universal coupling uniting the inner ends of thewinding-shaft, a winding-drum mounted on the winding-shaft,guide-pulleys connected with the davit-cranes, davit-falls passing overthe guide-pulleys and wound on the windingdrums, means for causing therevolution of the winding-shaft and winding-drums, consisting of apinion shaft journaled in a bear ing connected with one of thedavitcranes, a pinion mounted on the pinion-shaft a spurwheel mounted onthe winding-shaft and meshing with the teeth of the pinion, means forcausing the revolution of the pinion-shaft, and a braking mechanism forthe windingshaft consisting of a brake-wheel mounted thereon, a toothedsegment, a movable lever having a releasable detent-dog to engage withthe toothed segment and a brake-band to engage the brake-wheel connectedat one end with the davit-crane and at the other end with thebrake-lever.

15. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising two davit-cranesrigidly coupled together, a carriage for each davitcrane, an armconnected with the davitcranes having a bolt-aperture therein,boltguides at the inboard position of the davitcranes, a locking-boltmovable in the boltguides to enter the bolt-aperture in the arm,

a lever to actuate the bolt, stops to arrest the movement of thedavit-cranes at their outboard position, racks, and gravity-dogs carriedby the davit-cranes adapted to engage with the racks to resist thereturn of the davit-cranes from their outboard position.

16. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising two davit-cranesrigidly coupled together, a carriage for each davitcrane, an armconnected with the davitcranes having a bolt-aperture therein,boltguides at the inboard position of the davitcranes, a locking-boltmovable in the boltguides to enter the bolt-aperture in the arm, a leverto actuate the bolt, stops to arrest the movement of the davit cranes attheir outboard position, racks, gravity-dogs carried by the davit-cranesto engage with the racks to resist the return of the davit-cranes fromtheir outboard position, and a rock shaft carried by the davit-craneshaving cranks to engage with the gravity-dogs and raise them out ofengagement with the racks.

17. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising two davit-cranesrigidly coupled together, a carriage for each davitcrane, an armconnected with the davitcranes having a bolt-aperture therein,boltguides at the inboard position of the davitcranes, a lockin boltmovable in the boltguides to enter the bolt-aperture in the arm, a leverto actuate the bolt, stops to arrest the davit-cranes at their outboardposition, racks, gravity-dogs carried by the davitcranes to engage withthe racks to resist the return of the davit-cranes from their outboardposition,'a rock-shaft carried by the davit-cranes having rock-shaftcranks to' engage with the gravity-dogs and raise them out of engagementwith the racks in combination with boat-supporting saddles to engage theboat, at its inboard position, an actuating-lever and links connectedwith the actuating-lever to cause the saddles to fall outward whenoperated.

18. A boat launching and stowing apparatus comprising two davit-cranesrigidly coupled together, a carriage for each davit crane, 'fiXedtrackways, an arm connected with the davit-cranes having a bolt-aperturetherein, bolt-guides at the inboard position of the davit-cranes, alocking-bolt movable in the bolt-guides to enter the bolt-aperture inthe arm, a lever to actuatethe bolt, stops toarrest the davit-cranes attheir inboard position, racks, gravity-dogs carried by the combinationwith boat-supporting saddles to engage the boat at its inboard position,an themselves therefrom by gravity when the actuating-lever, linksconnected with the saddles have been lowered by thesaddleactuating-lever to cause the saddles to fall actuating means.

outward when operated, and lashing-arms FRED ELLSWORTH MARTIN. pivotallyconnected with the deck to engage Witnesses: the gunwale of the boatwhen seated upon B. BOYD,

the saddles and -automatically disengage E. McEAoHERN.

